Connector having a locking ring camming the members into the engaged and disengaged postions



July 24, 1951 P. A. souRlAU 2,561,677

CONNECTOR HAVING A LOCKING RING CAMMINO THE MEMBERS GAGEO AND OISENCAGED POSITIONS INTO THE EN Filed Jan. 23, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Y I j A Mbvvvvvvvmwvvvvwwww nl t\\ 0 3 M July 24, 1951 p A 5QUR|AU 2,561,677

CONNECTOR HAVING A LOCKING RING CAMMINO THE MEMBERS INTO THE ENGAGED AND DISENGAGED POSITIONS Filed Jan. 25, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 mm/ra@ 57% )4. @ae/4a WMM/W July 24, 195l P. A. SOURIAU 3 CONNECTOR HAVING A LOCKING RINO CAMMINO THE:

INTO THE ENCACED ANO OIsIzNCACEn POsIII Filed Jan. 25, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented July 24, 1951 OFFICE CONNECTOR HAVING LOCKING RING CAMMINGATHE MEMBERS INTO THE EN- GAGED AND DISENGAGED POSITIONS PaulAdolphe Souriau, Billancourt, France Application January 23, 1947, serial No. 723,767

l In France September 4, 1942 ,section 1, Public Law seanugust s, 194s fPatent expires September 4, 1962 'u My invention refers to electrical connections and deals more especially with current supply means that may be quickly connected and disconnectedunder perfectly secure conditions particularly adaptable where they are hard to get at and'where there are many set close together.

The invention has for tsobject to provide such connections of which the -movable piece may be connected quickly, reliably and safely in the `corresponding stationary piece, while remaining protected against any `undesired disconnection.

lThe invention is distinguished mainly by the factthat the movable portion comprises some means such as a stud or studs or similar means, that the fixed portion includes akind of bayonet member of'which the one or more slots include securing notches and a movable locking ring with one or more spiral grooves `infwhich this stud or studs are held, the ring itself comprising studs or similarmeans adapted to move inthe annular portion of the slot yor slots of the bayonet memberand falling automatically into its or their notches at its or their end of travel `under the actionV of elastic means acting on the movable ring. l The invention has for its object, in addition to itsmain arrangement, other arrangements that will be disclosed later and that may be employed at the same time; l

The invention will be more clearly understood bythe help of the followingv description referring to accompanying drawings in which l Fig. 1 is a longitudinal axial cross-section through the connector according to my invention, said cross-section passing through the rib thereon.V

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the inner or plug element thereof.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the socket element of the connector.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through line IV-IV of Fig. 3 of said socket element. Fig. 5 is a developed View of the upper part of `the same element abovethe section line V-V.`

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the socket element.`

Fig. '7 is a partly sectional elevational view of the third or locking ring element taken on line VIIe-VII of Fig. 8, l Fig. 8 is a plan viewpartly sectional of the ring element. y

Figa 9 is a developed View of said ring element. Fig, 10 is a planv view of the breaking means associated with the screws locking the electric .leads- Fig. `11 is 'a fraction of a cross-sectionof the 3. claims. (o1. 17a-328) connector in a plane perpendicular to Fig. 1 and passing through the studs thereon along line XI-XI of Fig. 1.

Fig. 12 is a half section of the connectorV l through the locking pins thereof along lin XII--XII of Fig. 1. l

According to the invention, and as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the xed connection or socket A comprises a base-piece I in which are housed insulating plates 2, 3, 4, 5 acting respectively as supporting means, for fixing, for joining-up and for protecting the inside and acting asa bearing for socket member 6. A dished portion 'I holds inside it a small plate 8 that bears on la tubular spacer 9. `A body I0 rigid with the preceding elements is provided with two bayonet slots II- each comprising in their annular portion restnotches I2 and I3 (Fig. 5). A movable ring I4 has two spiral slots I5 and two pins or lugs I5', adapted to cooperate with the bayonet slots II. A spring Il,` bears on a dished portion I8 fitted over the body I0. An outer sleeve I9 iS rigidly secured to the ring I4.

On the other hand the movable connection or plug element B comprises a body 20 in which are housed insulating plates 2|, 22, 23, 24 acting respectively as a protection for joining-up and for fixing. These small plates act also as a bearing for pins adapted to engage the sockets Ii` of the xed connection or socket element A. A protecting sleeve 28 and a tubular spacer 21 are also provided on the element B;

This movable connection B comprises in the example illustrated a connecting enclosing sleeve 26 held by a nut which forms the assembling nut 29 of the movable connection described.

The body 20 (Fig. 2) of the movable connection carries studs `or lugs 30 adapted to engage simultaneously the spiral slots I5 and the bayonet slots II. As the drawing shows the body of the fixed connection I0 has a small rib 3| While the body of the movable connecting piece 2U has a longitudinal groove 32, which rib and groove are designed according to the system disclosed in the French patent of Januaryll9, 1942, in the name of Etablissements P. Souriau & Co. for Improvements in Means Used for Cutting and Connecting Mains, Especially Electric Conduite. This system lin the case of a single conduit, as in the case of a conduit forming part of a series of mains, leaves no chance of mistake when inserting the pins or plugs inthe sockets and therewith engaging movable connections with those that are xed.

VThey working of the electric connection dethe studs 30 of the body `2t! appear in front of the!" open ends of the longitudinalparts of-,th slots II of the body I0 and of the; slo ring I4, the plug or movable ,partndfrin 4 ring and adapted to engage slidingly the axial slot and groove in the socket body, said ring being provided with an inner groove having a short axially extending portion opening into the outer end-of `the;ringtlnd aih-eiiejal portiony extending beyondfth'e"inneend ofsa'id axial portion in a u direction opposed to the lug, said helical portion is angularly shifted with the ringV`- Il vrigid"vv'itlr' of the spring I'I acting on; the ring I4 engage the @912911,85 3- 'Inaofde? tof disengag? the. ,Plugt movable partuofthe connection, it is suicient to turn the sleeve I9 in the reverse'direction, thestuldshl of the ring` I4 are then housed inthe notches `I2 of lthe horizontal portion of the slots I`I, the longitudinal opening portions o f the slots II` and I5 register, and the movablepart mayN thenrberdrawn out of. the, fixed part.`

Y, 1An advantageous feature, as shown inthe draw u ingsconsistslin that the dishedV piece I8 and the Slieevevld aretted together insuch a wayv that theoutwardlyY extending ange of v this dished pince is caught in, the inwardly extending flange ofthe Sleeve' 94, Y e j The electric connection "that Lhas been due-'1, scribed has been assumedto have its fixed part connection'iattached to apanel'such for instance asthe nre-proof bulkhead panel of an `aerialnavi'. gation engine;v it is clear that this connection may be formed so as to play theipartf of *an electric extension piece with lthe portion A the' fuemaie part` of it Vand/the portion B its ,male.'fjcounterpart f favourableV point also lconsists in ythat the lockingv screws 33 of the leads ,the female sockets 6 and in the pins 25 are furnishedLwithbrak-f ing means constituted by a smallellipticspring# ofwhich, the arms encircle the polygonal' headsof thesescrews 33,l as shown in Fig. 10, andthese braking means are furnished .with an insulating protecting sleeve 35, chiefly when several plugs are to lie close together. y y n l I l The inventionisnot restrictedto the forms-of invention that'have ,been disclosedhereinabove, and as filiustrated in the drawings, and itftakes in all'its modifications. I Y ,'Ijhe invention embraces the new commercial manufactured. articles forinedl` by electric co'nnections.l based onxtheinvention ,aswellasthe different component parts of theseielectric connes#` tions. y f s WhatIclaiinis: v l 1 Anelectrical connector comprising asta# tionary socket body providedwithfan axial slot Aopeningfinto the outer edge of .the Wall ofil said socket `body and a groove parallel tosaidedge ony the outer surface of the periphery of the socket starting'fromfthe inner end oi said slot andpro.- vided with stop notches` 1 directed towards the upper edge of vsaid socket and 4opening into 4said groovel respectively near the slottendthereof and at the opposite end of saidvgrooveran,.electrical contactv elementtted rigidly4 inside. saidV SOCket body, a ring revolubly carried by said socket body and including a lug extending inwardly. of s'aid f the ring groove registering with the axial slot in; the socketbodywhen the lug on the ring en- ,gagestheqgroovein the said socket body between l, :y eljtheitwostopjnotches thereof, yielding means urgare very slightly pressed in Whilethesleeve I3y ing the ringv outwardly by a slight extent with reference tothe groove in the socket, a plug body .,slidingly engaging the socket including a stud adapted'tor'engage permanently the axial slot in the socket body and the helical groove in the 'fring when'saidt'slot and groove register and to reston the outer edge of the ring as long as the outer'endifof the axial slots in the socket and in the ring are not in register, and an electrical contact element rigidlyV tted `inside the y plug body and engageable with-the electric contact element carriedbythe,socketbodyu v A 2, ,Anelectrical connectorcomprisingastation-fr ary,,socket body provided with twodiametrically opposed.A axial slotsv opening into the outer edge o ftherwalli-of saidzisocket'body and withtwo grooves parallel to said, edge on the outer sur-1 face ofr the periphery-of, the ksocket startingfrom theqirmer. `endofleach slot` and, eachfincluding two stop notchesdirectedtowards the upperedgeoi saidsocket and. opening intor saidgroovesy respectivelyl near the'slot end thereof and attire oppositev endof said -grooves,. an electricalA con-2 tact` element tted rigidly inside. said socket body, a ring revolubly carried by saidsocket body and including twodiametrica1ly opposed lugsfextendf ing, inwardly: of;` said lring and adapted to engage slidingly the corresponding axial slot andgroove in the socket bodmsaidring being providedrv`with two diametrically; opposed inner grooves each having a short, axially-extending portion opening intothe outer edgeof the-ring and aV helicallportion extending beyond .the inner endV of said.v axial portion in a direction opposed to the corresponde ingf y lug, said.A helical,k portions. of the ringA grooves crossing the axial slotszin the socketbody when theV lugsy on, the ring `engage thev grooves in the said socket body between the two stop notches thereof gyieldingameansurging the ring outwardly by a-slight extent withzreferenceV to the grooves in the tubularrsocket, a` plug body slidingly eng gaging the socket. andincluding two diametrically opposedstuds adapted to engage permanently` the axialfslots in the socketr body and` the .helical grooves in the ring when said slots and grooves register, and to-:reston the, outer edge of; thering as long as the outer ends of the axial slots inthe socket and intthering arenot -inregisten an electrical contact element rigidly fitted inside the plug'body and .engageable with` the. electricalcontact element carriedby the. socket` body andim terengag-ingmeans on the. cooperating surfaces of the plug, and-socket bodiesfor dening in co operation with .the studs. the angular location of the.- plug. bodyA with reference. to the socket body. Anrelectrical connector comprising asta-tion? ary socket body provided with a slot opening axiallyrgintothe: outery edge of the wallofqsai'd socket body and having an extension at?y Yight anglesialong, atlinezsubstantiallyparallel wit he peripheryrofthesocket, starting from the inner .eriilosaid-lslot,y a stop. notch directedtowar'ds he upper edge of said socket opening into sai x;

Z5 ,tensionatthe end thereof, ,remote from .the ai'iai 5 portion of the slot, an electrical contact element tted rigidly inside said socket body, a ring revolubly carried by said socket body and including a lug extending inwardly of said ring and adapted to engage slidingly the axial portion of the slot in the socket body, said ring being provided with an inner helical groove opening into the outer end of the ring to register With the axial slot in the socket body when the lug on the ring engages the slot extension in the said socket body, yielding means urging the ring outwardly, a plug body slidingly engaging the socket and including a `stud adapted to engage permanently the axial slot in the socket body and the helical groove in the ring when said slot and groove register, and an electrical contact element rigidly fitted inside the plug body and engageable with the electrical contact element carried by the socket body.

PAUL ADOLPI-IE SOURIAU.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,885,321 Benn Nov. 1, 1932 1,899,119 Singer Feb. 28, 1933 2,114,258 Tornblom Apr. 12, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 179,292 England May 2, 1922 553,892 Germany June 16, 1932 

